Learn How to Live in the South

In chapter 9 Wright is told to “learn how to live in the south” by his buddy Griggs. What Griggs means is Richard doesn’t even take notice ‘white’ people. To him, they are just people. This is a problem because white people want him to take notice of them, to look submissive when they walk past, to look fearful when they speak to him. Richard simply ignores white people, doesn’t pay them much attention and balks when they do something inappropriate or crude. Griggs tells Richard this because he wants Richard to understand how serious his attitude is. Richard could get killed simply because of his demeanor. If Richard learned how to live in the south he would need to cast his downward in the presence of a white man. Ignore their treatment of black women. Let them practically own him and physically hurt him. Richard knows he cannot give to this treatment so he must move northward in hopes it is better there.